Why Rodrigo Moreno would be a marquee signing for Leeds United
According to Leeds Live, Leeds United are planning to make Valencia forward Rodrigo Moreno their big statement signing of the summer window.
As per the report, the 29-year-old could be offloaded as a part of a massive exodus at the Mestalla, and the Premier League newcomers are trying to take advantage of the situation.
Profile
Born in Brazil, Rodrigo Moreno spent time in the youth ranks of Flamengo before moving to Spain and furthering his footballing education at Celta Vigo. Moreno’s standout displays for Celta’s youth sides caught the eye of Real Madrid, who signed him as a promising youngster.
However, the versatile forward failed to make even a single competitive appearance for the Los Blancos and was transferred to Portuguese giants Benfica. Moreno’s move to Portugal was marked by an ill-fated loan spell at Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League during the 2010-11 season, where he scored just once in 21 appearances.
The 29-year-old, though, established himself as a key player at Benfica upon his return, scoring 45 goals across the next three seasons. He guided the club to the domestic treble in 2013-14.
The Spaniard joined Valencia permanently in 2015 on the back of a successful loan spell. He has since racked up an impressive tally of 59 goals and 41 assists in 220 appearances across all competitions.
Leeds’ attacking scenario
Leeds United secured promotion to the Premier League as the outright winners of the 2019-20 EFL Championship, scoring 77 goals in 46 games. That was the joint second-best scoring record in the division alongside runners-up West Brom, with Brentford being the only side to outscore the Whites.
The lack of a prolific striker at Leeds was obvious last season. However, Patrick Bamford proved his worth with a respectable tally of 16 league goals, despite going through several lean patches over the course of the season.
Regardless of whether Bielsa wishes to continue with Bamford as his first-choice No.9 in the PL, it goes without saying that Leeds need to bolster their attacking firepower as they lack depth.
Why Rodrigo could be the answer
Rodrigo Moreno has established himself as one of the most influential attacking players in the La Liga over the past three seasons while also impressing in the Champions League and the Europa League. The 29-year-old bagged 16 league goals back in 2017-18, which remains the most prolific campaign of his career to date.
The Spanish international has failed to replicate those numbers in any of his past couple of seasons but his returns have been quite impressive, nevertheless. Moreno managed 8 goals and 9 assists in 34 appearances for Valencia across all competitions last term, figures that clearly suggest he could be an excellent addition to Leeds United’s forward line.
According to Leeds Live, Rodrigo has been described as a goalscorer with a sharp turn of pace and relentless work ethic, attributes that should make him perfectly fit into Bielsa’s style of play. The 29-year-old would be a genuine upgrade on Bamford while his European experience is something that should definitely appeal to any promoted PL club.
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Verdict
Suffice to say, Leeds United need to invest in some top-quality players this summer to boost their chances of survival in the Premier League.
Rodrigo Moreno seems to tick all the boxes to come through the door at Elland Road as a marquee signing. Bielsa shouldn’t leave any stone unturned in his pursuit of the Spaniard, whose arrival could have a transformative impact on the club’s forward line.
